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It’s a bittersweet time for me as an author. As STRANGE SKIES, my sequel to BURN OUT, is getting ready to launch into the world on April 28th, my publisher Egmont USA is closing its doors. I learned so much from the awesome team there, especially my fabulous editors Greg Ferguson and Alison Weiss. I feel quite lucky that my release date was moved up so that my book will still be published, and am excited to share it with my readers. There are other Egmont authors in my same situation and we’ve banded together to support each other as our books release. We are the last ones—the last authors published by Egmont USA, a publisher that gave many of us our start. The awesome Sarah Cross started a Tumblr site dedicated to Egmont’s last list, and I wrote the introduction over there, so come check out Egmont’s entire Spring ’15 list over at Egmont’s Last List.
I will also be giving away an ARC of STRANGE SKIES to one lucky newsletter subscriber in the next two weeks, so make sure to sign up on the sidebar. Finally, YA author, Aimee Henley, tagged me to write a Top 7 post, so that will be up later this week!
It’s a bittersweet time for me as an author. As STRANGE SKIES, my sequel to BURN OUT, is getting ready to launch into the world on April 28th, my publisher Egmont USA is closing its doors. I learned so much from the awesome team there, especially my fabulous editors Greg Ferguson and Alison Weiss. I feel quite lucky that my release date was moved up so that my book will still be published, and am excited to share it with my readers. There are other Egmont authors in my same situation and we’ve banded together to support each other as our books release. We are the last ones—the last authors published by Egmont USA, a publisher that gave many of us our start. The awesome Sarah Cross started a Tumblr site dedicated to Egmont’s last list, and I wrote the introduction over there, so come check out Egmont’s entire Spring ’15 list over at Egmont’s Last List.
I will also be giving away an ARC of STRANGE SKIES to one lucky newsletter subscriber in the next two weeks, so make sure to sign up on the sidebar. Finally, YA author, Aimee Henley, tagged me to write a Top 7 post, so that will be up later this week!
Hi all…happy belated 2015! I’ll be doing a 2014 summary post shortly and realize I’m a little late with it, but if you follow me on Twitter, you know my website was recently hacked and it took some serious doing to get it back. Make sure to sign up (on the righthand side of the blog) for my newsletter if you haven’t already, because in a few weeks I’m giving away an advanced copy of my sequel to BURN OUT courtesy of my publisher!
I thought I’d start off the year with an interview from a funny and fabulous author–David Kazzie. If you don’t know David, he is the creator of the hilarious So You Want to Write a Novel video (and others) which can be seen here. He also writes novels—his newest, which looks amazing, is called THE IMMUNE.
Here is a blurb:
This is the way the world ends.
On a warm summer night at Yankee Stadium, a terrifying plot to bring humanity to the brink of extinction is set into motion.
And as the deadly Medusa virus sweeps the globe unchecked, three people – an obstetrician dealing with the death of an expectant mother, a football star past his prime, and a soldier harboring a terrible secret about her own future – struggle to save what they hold most dear in a world crumbling around them.
Amazingly cool concept, right? I had some questions for David and he was kind enough to answer my questions, so enjoy the interview and then go check out his book!
1. The concept of The Immune is fascinating, especially given the recent panic about ebola. Where did you get the idea for the story?
I’ve loved stories about the apocalypse for as long as I can remember, and I had always wanted to write my own. I wanted to make it as realistic as possible, and I always thought that a pandemic was the most likely suspect if something like that were to ever happen. And I think deep down, we’ve all wondered if we would have what it takes to survive in a world like that.
Hi all…happy belated 2015! I’ll be doing a 2014 summary post shortly and realize I’m a little late with it, but if you follow me on Twitter, you know my website was recently hacked and it took some serious doing to get it back. Make sure to sign up (on the righthand side of the blog) for my newsletter if you haven’t already, because in a few weeks I’m giving away an advanced copy of my sequel to BURN OUT courtesy of my publisher!
I thought I’d start off the year with an interview from a funny and fabulous author–David Kazzie. If you don’t know David, he is the creator of the hilarious So You Want to Write a Novel video (and others) which can be seen here. He also writes novels—his newest, which looks amazing, is called THE IMMUNE.
Here is a blurb:
This is the way the world ends.
On a warm summer night at Yankee Stadium, a terrifying plot to bring humanity to the brink of extinction is set into motion.
And as the deadly Medusa virus sweeps the globe unchecked, three people – an obstetrician dealing with the death of an expectant mother, a football star past his prime, and a soldier harboring a terrible secret about her own future – struggle to save what they hold most dear in a world crumbling around them.
Amazingly cool concept, right? I had some questions for David and he was kind enough to answer my questions, so enjoy the interview and then go check out his book!
1. The concept of The Immune is fascinating, especially given the recent panic about ebola. Where did you get the idea for the story?
I’ve loved stories about the apocalypse for as long as I can remember, and I had always wanted to write my own. I wanted to make it as realistic as possible, and I always thought that a pandemic was the most likely suspect if something like that were to ever happen. And I think deep down, we’ve all wondered if we would have what it takes to survive in a world like that.
As a fellow-sci fi writer and nerd, I’m so excited to have Joshua David Bellin on the blog today to discuss his new sci-fi release, SURVIVAL COLONY 9. First, here’s the cover of his fab book:
And here’s what Survival Colony 9 entails:
In a future world of dust and ruin, fourteen-year-old Querry Genn struggles to recover the lost memory that might save the human race.
Querry is a member of Survival Colony Nine, one of the small, roving groups of people who outlived the wars and environmental catastrophes that destroyed the old world. The commander of Survival Colony Nine is his father, Laman Genn, who runs the camp with an iron will. He has to–because heat, dust, and starvation aren’t the only threats in this ruined world.
There are also the Skaldi.
Monsters with the ability to infect and mimic human hosts, the Skaldi appeared on the planet shortly after the wars of destruction. No one knows where they came from or what they are. But if they’re not stopped, it might mean the end of humanity.
Six months ago, Querry had an encounter with the Skaldi–and now he can’t remember anything that happened before then. If he can recall his past, he might be able to find the key to defeat the Skaldi.
If he can’t, he’s their next victim.
It sounds amazing, right? Joshua was kind enough to answer some questions for me about his release, so the following is all you wanted to know about Joshua (just kidding, but it is five things that I wanted to know about him) 
Your story involves a chilling description of a post-apocalpytic world. Where did you get your inspiration for Survival Colony 9?
Everyone thinks I’m making this up, but the basic outlines of my world came to me in a dream. Desert landscape, small groups of camouflaged people (the survival colonies) moving across the waste, and a mysterious, terrifying threat constantly in the background. (That turned into the Skaldi.) Generally speaking, my dream-ideas are like everyone else’s: they seem great for about five seconds after I wake up, but then I realize it wouldn’t actually make such a good story to have giant rabbits nibbling popcorn on Venus. But in this case, the dream-work paid off!
I don’t think you’re making that up because my book came to me in a dream too! That’s so cool when it happens like that. So, as a fellow sci-fi author and fan, I loved the show Firefly and wondered whether there are any similarities between the Skaldi in your world and the Reavers in Firefly (which terrified me by the way)?
Okay, this is kind of embarrassing, but I’ve never watched Firefly—which is even more bizarre since Joss Whedon was in my graduating class at Wesleyan. But what I’d say about this, based on a quick Googling, is that the Skaldi are as terrifying as the Reavers but even more inhuman. Cannibalistic races are one of the oldest fears of Western civilization: just look at Homer’s Polyphemus, or at the reports of cannibalistic tribes in Columbus’s letters. The Skaldi play off that fear, in that they consume human bodies and then mimic them. But whether they were themselves human at one point, as the Reavers seem to be, is something I’m not going to reveal!
I just geeked out a little (okay, a lot) about you going to school with Joss Whedon. Also, you need to watch Firefly ASAP! For the aspiring writers out there, can you tell us a little about your path to publication? (e.g. getting an agent, finding a publisher, etc.)
Depending on how you look at it, I’ve been on the path since age eight, when I attempted to write my first novel. So that’s roughly forty years. I mention this because the myth of instant success can kill writers, leading them to give up if their dreams don’t come true overnight. In my case, if I’d given up at any point during the forty years it took me to develop my craft, I wouldn’t be here.
In a narrower sense, my path to publication was fairly routine: I finished Survival Colony 9 at the tail end of 2011, signed with one agent but had to part ways with her (long story), then revised the book again and found my current agent in late 2012. From there, it was roughly three months until acceptance. That makes it sound easy, but believe me: even in that narrower timeframe, there were plenty of rejections and moments of crisis. If there’s anything to learn from my experience, it’s this: bumps in the road are not a negative reflection on the quality of your manuscript. They’re just a natural part of the process.
I completely agree and feel like the bumps in the road have made me both a stronger writer and person in general. So moving on to your writing process—do you have a set writing schedule or routine? Any favorite snacks or beverages that are a must-have while you’re writing?
I used to try to write every day, until I realized that I was driving myself to distraction for no good reason. Some writers can write every day; I can’t. So these days, I write when I can—mostly summers when I’m not teaching—and I focus on the positive (hey! I’m writing!) instead of the negative (ugh! I’m not writing every day).
So far as routine, I’m the kind of writer who needs a distraction-free environment. No TV or play list or open browser or anything. No kids (I have two of them). Maybe a ginger ale or some pretzels to snack on, but nothing elaborate. Pretty boring in its way. But writing is so individualized, I think everyone has to find what works best for them and go for it.
Agreed and I’ve written posts about why I think it’s fine not to write every day (and can even benefit a writer). Most writers are obsessive readers, so what are a few of your all-time favorite authors or books (any genre)?
I’m a total reading chameleon, which comes from having well-stocked bookshelves growing up and earning a Ph.D. in English in my twenties. So here are a few of my favorites:
Epic fantasy: The Lord of the Rings
Classic sci-fi: The War of the Worlds
Non-fiction: Walden
Speculative YA: The Hunger Games
Realistic YA: The Greatest Thing That Almost Happened
Middle Grade: Blubber
Baseball: The Celebrant
Modernist: To the Lighthouse
Postmodern: Slaughterhouse-Five
And so on. Anyone interested in my favorite book by an antebellum Native American author? Because I could tell you. (Okay, it’s A Son of the Forest by William Apess. I couldn’t resist.)
Great picks, and how cool that you’re a fellow Ph.D. too! BONUS fun sci-fi question: What is your all time favorite sci-fi movie? And why?
I’m going to cheat and list two. One is Star Wars, largely because I’m a complete dork but also because it came out when I was twelve and changed my life. (Mostly by turning me into a complete dork.) The second is Alien, because it has such an inspired monster and it’s such a perfect blend of sci-fi, horror, and social/political commentary. The emergence scene is still unsurpassed in the history of sci-fi cinema, in my humble opinion.
Oh, I love both of those movies! Thanks so much for joining us today, Joshua, and congrats on your book release! Find out more about Joshua below, including where to grab his book today:
Joshua David Bellin has been writing novels since he was eight years old (though the first few were admittedly very short). He taught college for twenty years, wrote a bunch of books for college students, then decided to return to writing fiction. Survival Colony 9 is his first novel, but the sequel’s already in the works! Josh is represented by the fabulous Liza Fleissig of Liza Royce Agency.
Josh loves to read (mostly YA fantasy and science fiction), watch movies (again, mostly fantasy and sci-fi), and spend time in Nature (mostly catching frogs and toads). He is the self-proclaimed world’s worst singer, but plays a pretty mean air guitar.
Oh, yeah, and he likes monsters. Really scary monsters.
Links:
Website: http://www.joshuadavidbellin.com
Blog: http://theyaguy.blogspot.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/TheYAGuy
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/joshuadavidbellin
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7393959.Joshua_David_Bellin
Survival Colony 9: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18457362-survival-colony-nine
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Survival-Colony-Joshua-David-Bellin/dp/1481403540/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1393982949&sr=1-1&keywords=survival+colony+9
Hi all–I’m so excited to help announce the release of Margo Kelly’s WHO R U REALLY? I love to hear about “path to publication” stories and Margo was kind enough to share her experience with us today. After you read about her inspiring journey, don’t forget to enter the Goodreads contest below…and then go check out Margo’s book!
Margo Kelly’s Path to Publication
In January, 2009, I decided I wanted to change careers and pursue a long forgotten dream of becoming a published author. Sound familiar? I purchased Janet Evanovich’s HOW I WRITE and Writer’s Digest’s GUIDE TO LITERARY AGENTS, and I began my research into the industry.
Six months later, I finished my first manuscript, MANIFESTED, and I started sending out query letters. The rejections flooded in. I had tough skin. I knew rejections were part of the process, but one of the form letters pushed me over the edge. I struck a match and sent the rejection up in flames. (Yes, that was back in the days of snail mail.) Then I took a deep breath and went back to querying.
I also started writing my next manuscript. I read more books on the craft of writing, subscribed to magazines and journals that would help me better my skills, wrote flash fiction to tighten my story telling, and connected with two great critique partners that I met through online communities.
A year later, in August, 2010, I had finished my second manuscript, THE EDUCATION OF THIA, and began to send out query letters. The requests for partials and fulls came in right away! I was so excited! But then rejections followed. I paid attention to the agents’ feedback, because I wanted to improve the story and make it saleable, but it was tricky, because while one said, “The main character is too naive” another said, “The main character sounds too adult.” I revised none-the-less.
With a bright and shiny polished version of the story, I headed off to my first writer’s conference. I met up with my critique partner, Melissa, and we had an absolute blast. Plus, two agents at the conference requested my full manuscript, and I just knew one of these fabulous agents was going to offer me a contract. Yes-sir-ee!! I went home too excited to work on any writing. I was waiting to hear from the agents.
More than a month later, I sent very polite follow-up emails to the two agents from the conference. Both responded, explaining how busy they were (of course, I understood, I wanted them to take care of their current clients first, that made sense). But I was demoralized. I couldn’t seem to start a new manuscript. So I pulled out MANIFESTED and dusted it off. I figured I could work on rewriting it and improving it until I found my writing mojo again.
Three months later, one of the conference agents emailed to tell me she’d decided to shelve my manuscript, unread. She was no longer looking for new clients. By the summer of 2011, the second conference agent emailed and apologized for the delay in reading my manuscript. She said the writing was great, but it didn’t excite her enough to offer me representation.
My tough skin had been broken, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to continue down this publishing path. Then I was diagnosed with a rare 12mm lesion in the middle of my brain. After a lot of time and money, the specialists decided there was nothing they could do about it. I had to reevaluate my life, my priorities, and my goals. What if my time was limited here on earth? How would I want to spend it? Through self-evaluation, I realized writing was still important to me, and as a result I refocused my efforts with great fervor.
On November 11, 2011, I sent out eleven queries for BUT HE LOVES ME (formerly known as The Education of Thia). A dream agent from my dream agency requested a partial the same day (it was a Friday). Monday, she requested the full. Wednesday, she requested a phone call. Thursday, we discussed ideas for revisions. I loved all of her suggestions, and my mojo exploded! She said if I could accomplish these revisions, she’d offer me formal representation. I wanted it! I got to work, and I was on fire! I sent her the revised manuscript about a week and a half later (I know, it sounds like I rushed it, but I’m telling you: I was ON FIRE!!). She read it right away and requested more revisions. I got right back to work. I was still excited about the process, and I was thrilled to think that someone had caught the “vision” of my story. While I was busy working on more revisions, she surprised me and mailed me a contract! YES! Not to mention, in the time I was working with her on revisions, other agents had requested partials and fulls. Out of respect, I contacted them to let them know I’d received an offer. One of the agents told me I’d be nuts to not accept the offer from this great agency.
On December 12, 2011, I signed with Brianne Johnson of Writers House. I’ve been smiling ever since, because I have the best agent from the best agency.
From there, we finalized revisions and made another title change before sending the manuscript out on submission. It took a while to sell, partly because the main character’s age put the story on the fence between middle-grade and young adult. However, Jacquelyn Mitchard of Merit Press (an imprint of F+W Media) saw the “merit” in the story and made an offer. With another title change and more revisions, the book, WHO R U REALLY?, will finally be published on September 18, 2014.
Now I’m polishing my next manuscript, and I’ve already started writing another. The publishing process certainly requires persistence and patience, but the future is so exciting.
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Margo Kelly is a native of the Northwest and currently resides in Idaho. A veteran public speaker, she is now actively pursuing her love of writing. Who R U Really? is her first novel. Margo welcomes the opportunities to speak to youth groups, library groups, and book clubs.
Follow her online:
Website: www.margokelly.net
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MargoKelly.author
Twitter: @MargoWKelly
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/margokelly
Scheduled Appearances:
September 26, 2014 – 5pm – Book Signing at Hastings in Meridian, Idaho
September 27, 2014 – 4pm – Book Signing at Hastings on Overland in Boise, Idaho
October 3, 2014 – 7pm – Book Launch Party at Hyde Park Books in Boise, Idaho
October 11, 2014 – 4pm – Book Signing at Barnes & Noble in Boise, Idaho
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Who R U Really?
When Thea discovers a new role-playing game online, she breaks her parents’ rules to play. And in the world of the game, Thea falls for an older boy named Kit whose smarts and savvy can’t defeat his near-suicidal despair. Soon, he’s texting her, asking her to meet him, and talking in vague ways about how they can be together forever. As much as she suspects that this is wrong, Thea is powerless to resist Kit’s allure, and hurtles toward the very fate her parents feared most. Who R U Really? will excite you and scare you, as Thea’s life spins out of control.
“Kelly has painted a realistic picture of how a smart girl can get caught up in something dangerous online. … Guaranteed to give readers goosebumps.” — School Library Journal. (http://www.bookverdict.com)
“Thea’s mistakes, while frustrating to encounter, are frighteningly plausible, and the relationships among characters are well–fleshed out, especially between mother and daughter. Kelly’s first novel is a suspenseful page-turner.” — Kirkus Reviews (www.kirkusreviews.com)
Who R U Really? will be published in hardcover and e-book versions by Merit Press (F+W Media) on September 18, 2014.
Win a copy of Who R U Really? on Goodreads here: https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/103716-who-r-u-really
Buy online:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Merit Press
Son of Set (Descendants of Isis #2)
By Kelsey Ketch
Release Date: May 2nd, 2014
Upper Young Adult Fantasy
Summary from Goodreads:
“. . . the Sons would never just let him go—alive.”
Seth O’Keefe has broken the laws of his god. He never thought he would sacrifice his own future to protect a Daughter of Isis. But when the Sons of Set discovered Natti is the Secret Keeper, he had no choice. Now, Seth and Natti are on the run from his father, who wants nothing more than to see Seth dead. With no allies, Seth turns to the Daughters of Isis for help, hoping they would protect Natti. But when they meet the Daughters, he discovers a secret that puts both their lives in more danger. Low on options, Seth sees only one possibility for survival. He must help Natti solve an ancient puzzle and find the secret name of Ra.
Natara “Natti” Stone is having a hard time swallowing the truth. She can’t believe what she has learned in the past twenty-four hours: Seth is a Son of Set blessed with charm; she is a Daughter of Isis blessed with a sliver of Ma ‘at; the locket her grandmother gave her holds an ancient Egyptian secret linking to Osiris and Isis. That along with being tortured and brutalized by the Sons of Set, she can hardly hold herself together. Thank God for Seth’s touch! That warm, tingling sensation that drowns it all out. Yet her heart struggles to stay focused. She must quickly embrace her destiny before the secret name of Ra falls into the wrong hands.
*Note: Content for Upper YA*
Available at:
Book One:
(Linked to Goodreads)
***Daughter of Isis is Free for Today Only at:***
***Some Praise for Daughter of Isis***
“Daughter of Isis is an addicting and enthralling read brimming with Egyptian mythology. Readers will be pulled into the story after simply reading a page!” —Emily, Reader Rising
“I always enjoy a good book about Mythology and Daughter of Isis brings a thrilling modern day spin to one of the tales. Kelsey Ketch wove the story perfectly and sucked me right into her magnificent world.” —Naomi, Nomi’s Paranormal Palace
***Excerpt From Son of Set***
***Warning: Excerpt May Contain Spoilers***
Chapter 1
Seth wrung a blood-soaked hand towel until the fabric pinched the flesh of his aching palms. Droplets of Natti’s diluted blood trickled into the running water. When the cotton began to dry, he drowned it again and wrung it out even tighter. Yet, no matter how sore his hands were, the haunting bloodstains on the towel wouldn’t wash away. Exhausted and frustrated, he tossed the towel into the basin. He slammed the faucet off, leaned over the counter, and stared at his reflection. Dark circles and black kohl accented his turquoise eyes. Large, swollen bruises coated his lightly tanned skin, each screaming with the slightest movement. Dry blood encrusted his wrists. His back ached and his knees were coated with grime. Even so, his injuries carried little pain compared to the memories he was still trying to process: his own father, Sean, drawing Seth’s Glock 38 on him at the hospital; being chained down in Set’s Temple and listening to Natti’s screams while his father dosed her with synthetic scorpion venom; watching Sean enslave her essence; seeing the ceremonial dagger poised over her breast. Seth shoved his fingers through his copper hair, trying to force the images out of his mind.
A soft moan, a harsh groan, and then a scream echoed from the next room. Seth’s overwhelmed system surged with adrenaline. He raced into the bedroom of the hotel room. Natti had her back pressed against the pillows and headboard as she manically swiped at the old, floral bedcover. She abruptly withdrew her hand with another scream and began to cower, her knees brought up to her chest.
“I don’t know,” she bellowed. “I don’t know.”
“Natti?” Seth rushed to her side. He stared at the bedcover, trying to determine who or what she was shouting at.
Natti turned her glassy eyes to him with a gasp. She scrambled sideways, and Seth had to catch her before she fell over the edge of the king-sized bed. Her panicky screams transformed into desperate cries for help. Afraid someone would hear her, Seth quickly covered her mouth. She struggled against him for a brief moment before she finally went limp in his arms. Her silver-violet eyes were filled with fear.
“Shh,” Seth cooed, trying to keep his own heart from leaping out of his chest. He stared into the eyes that had bewitched him on the first day they met. When she looked back at him, it was like she was gazing at a stranger. He swallowed a lump that formed in his throat and slowly raised his fingers from her lips.
“I don’t know,” she whimpered. “I don’t know. I swear, I don’t know.”
“Natti, it’s me,” Seth whispered, mentally begging the gods to help her. “It’s Seth. We met at school in mid-September. I rescued you at the festival. I helped you escape from the temple. Don’t you remember?”
Her body tensed under his hold, and her gaze went wild while she scanned the room. “Oh God, please. . . . I don’t know.”
“Natti.”
She wasn’t paying any attention to him. Her eyes were beginning to dilate, and her body vibrated with fear. Seth finally called on his blessing from Set, his magical charm, to try to calm her, but her mind was too wired and her veins throbbed under his touch. She suddenly screeched and thrashed violently in his arms.
“No. No, stop. I don’t know.” Her anxiety was building. Grabbing hold of her flying fists, Seth pinned her down on the bed. Her back arched and her legs kicked while she attempted to wrench herself from his grasp.
“Natti, stop,” he ordered. “Stop!”
***Giveaway***
Daughter of Isis Journal and Natti Swag Pack (INT) -> a Rafflecopter giveaway
During her high school years, Kelsey Ketch could always be found tucked away in a little corner of the hall or classroom, writing her fantasy worlds and creating illustrations and maps. Today is no different, except now she’s writing in the break room at her office building or at the tables of the Barnes and Noble Café in Cary, North Carolina. She is also an avid reader, a part-time book blogger at Ketch’s Book Nook, and lives with her two orange tabbies and awesome and humorous flat-mate.
For more information, please visit her site at kelseyketch.com.
My baby, er book, is out in the world today! Huge thanks to Jen McConell at the YA Valentines for her lovely launch post about BURN OUT. If you’d like to grab a copy of BURN OUT (you do, you really, really do), then go here. I’m giving away free, signed bookmarks to everyone who orders this week, so shoot me an email by the weekend if you want one. If you’re in the area, stop by Tattered Cover in Highlands Ranch tonight for cupcakes, gift card giveaway, and fun people. I’m not saying I’m fun, but luckily, I know a lot of fun people.
Welcome to YA Scavenger Hunt! This tri-annual event was first organized by author Colleen Houck as a way to give readers a chance to gain access to exclusive bonus material from their favorite authors…and a chance to win some awesome prizes! At this hunt, you not only get access to exclusive content from each author, you also get a clue for the hunt. Add up the clues, and you can enter for our prize–one lucky winner will receive one signed book from each author on the hunt in my team! But play fast: this contest (and all the exclusive bonus material) will only be online for 72 hours!
Go to the YA Scavenger Hunt page to find out all about the hunt. There are TWO contests going on simultaneously, and you can enter one or all! I am a part of the BLUE TEAM–but there is also a red team if you want a chance for a chance to win a whole different set of signed books!
If you’d like to find out more about the hunt, see links to all the authors participating, and see the full list of prizes up for grabs, go to the YA Scavenger Hunt homepage.
SCAVENGER HUNT PUZZLE
Directions: Below, you’ll notice that I’ve listed my favorite number. Collect the favorite numbers of all the authors on the blue team, and then add them up (don’t worry, you can use a calculator!).
Rules: Open internationally, anyone below the age of 18 should have a parent or guardian’s permission to enter. To be eligible for the grand prize, you must submit the completed entry form by Sunday, April 6th at noon Pacific Time. Entries sent without the correct number or without contact information will not be considered.
Today, I am so excited to be hosting author P.J. Hoover for the YA Scavenger Hunt!
BIO:
P. J. Hoover first fell in love with Greek mythology in sixth grade thanks to the book Mythology by Edith Hamilton. After a fifteen year bout as an electrical engineer designing computer chips for a living, P. J. decided to take her own stab at mythology and started writing books for kids and teens. When not writing, P. J. spends time with her husband and two kids and enjoys practicing kung fu, solving Rubik’s cubes, and watching Star Trek. Her first novel for teens, Solstice (Tor Teen, June 2013), takes place in a global warming future and explores the parallel world of mythology beside our own. Her middle grade novel, Tut (Tor Children’s, 2014), tells the story of a young immortal King Tut, who’s been stuck in middle school for over 3,000 years and must defeat an ancient enemy with the help of a dorky kid from school, a mysterious Egyptian princess, and a one-eyed cat. P. J. is also a member of THE TEXAS SWEETHEARTS & SCOUNDRELS. For more information about P. J. (Tricia) Hoover, please visit her website www.pjhoover.com.
Find out more about P.J. on her website or buy the book here.
Book Description:
Piper’s world is dying. Each day brings hotter temperatures and heat bubbles that threaten to destroy the earth. Amid this global heating crisis, Piper lives under the oppressive rule of her mother, who suffocates her even more than the weather does. Everything changes on her eighteenth birthday, when her mother is called away on a mysterious errand and Piper seizes her first opportunity for freedom.
Piper discovers a universe she never knew existed—a sphere of gods and monsters—and realizes that her world is not the only one in crisis. While gods battle for control of the Underworld, Piper’s life spirals out of control as she struggles to find the answer to the secret that has been kept from her since birth.
EXCLUSIVE CONTENT
For her exclusive content, P.J. shared her top four dystopian inspirations for Solstice.
My Top Four Dystopian Inspirations for Solstice:
1) Summer 2011 in Austin
The summer of 2011 in Austin was like no other. It didn’t rain for the entire summer and was over one hundred degrees most of the days. It got to the point where you had to just accept the heat and let it bake into your body to not go crazy. This is how Piper is with the heat. She loves it and lets it become a part of her. And this is the image I wanted to get across in Solstice.
0 Comments on Welcome to the Spring 2014 YA Scavenger Hunt as of 1/1/1900
I’m so excited to have my fellow agent-sister Realm Lovejoy on the blog today to discuss her new sci-fi book, CLAN. Realm was kind enough to answer some questions about her book and is giving away copies of CLAN to some lucky readers, so make sure to enter the contest below.
About CLAN:
Clans are Unity.
No variation. No deviation.
On Clades, to be a Clan is to be an exact copy.
A perfect society cloning themselves to survive,
even as the zombielike Frags threaten to overrun them
on an unforgiving planet.
Clan 1672 (privately known as Twain)
was never supposed to survive the Incubation Tank.
But he did. Illegally.
He is different from the other Clans.
A secret that could destroy him.
Realm: “Today I am revealing another illustration of one of the Fives Values of Clan: Organization. The Clans are organized by their numbers (in order of “birth”) and are on a strict schedule to do everything at the same time: eat, sleep, shower, learn, etc. The antagonist Brisbane is particularly strict about having everything organized–he cannot allow the idea of someone breaking the rules.”
The premise for CLAN is very intriguing. Where did you get the inspiration for the story?
Back when I first started working in the video game industry, I was also interested in making a low budget CG film. I brainstormed that it’d be pretty low budget if I just used one character and duplicated him over and over–like clones. I started thinking about how life would be like if my world was only filled with copies of myself. Would I get along with my clones? Would I hate them? Like them? Would there still be war? Would there be upper and lower class? Discrimination? One thought lead to another and pretty soon, I started writing a book to figure it all out.
The book takes place on Clades, a different planet. How did you go about creating an entirely different world than the one we know here on Earth?
One of the reasons why I chose to create a new planet was because I wanted the clones to be isolated from Earth so that they can have their own unique world. My main goal was to have a setting where the leader can create a society where he can raise his own clones to believe they are not individuals, but mere copies that shouldn’t have personalities, dreams, or desires. The leader is from Earth, however, so there are traces of Earth culture that are hidden that keeps the world grounded for the readers.
The book involves everyone being an exact copy, except for one clone known as Twain. Was characterization more of a challenge since everyone was supposed to be similar?
I developed the characters the way I normally would by fleshing out their experiences and personalities. Visually though, it was a bit of a challenge. The important characters have to look a little different from one another. For example, we see a lot of cartoons with characters that look the same except they wear different colors and everyone still has their favorite character because the personality is different. The clones in Clan can’t wear different colors except for the leader because of their cultural rules. I made Twain have different eyes and hair so that the audience can immediately pick him out of the crowd. The other two main characters, Buster and Chad, wear their facial expression a distinct way–Buster is always smirking or smiling and always looks lively and open, while Chad is always frowning or very serious and closed.
What type of research is involved in a sci-fi book like this one?
I researched a lot about cloning which was very fascinating. I didn’t get to use a lot of the scientific details in the book because it slows down the pacing. I also learned a lot about the misconceptions people have about cloning. I didn’t know that so many people believe that clones are exact duplicates–but exact duplicates are scientifically impossible. CLAN isn’t about sameness, but about difference.
Is there a follow-up to this book? (Or what are you working on next if that doesn’t apply)
CLAN is a standalone novel. My next book is a part of a series and I will be announcing it very soon. Hint: it’s a YA urban fantasy!
Thank you so much for having me on your Tumblr today, Kristi! I’m excited for your book BURN OUT!
Next up on the Clan Intro Tour–Gretchen McNeil on 12/03!
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About the Author:
Realm Lovejoy is an American writer and an artist. She grew up in both Washington State and the Japanese Alps of Nagano, Japan. Currently, she lives in Seattle and works as an artist in the video game industry. CLAN is her first book.
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–Realm Lovejoy
Debut Novel: CLAN — Available Now!
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Hi all–I’m so excited to help spread the news about Cheryl Rainfield’s new book, STAINED! Cheryl is an amazing person and the fantastic author of SCARS and HUNTED. (I wish SCARS had been published back when I worked with teen girls because many of them engaged in self-harming behavior and would have benefited greatly from her book). In celebration of STAINED’s release, Cheryl is giving away a GRAND PRIZE of an eBook Reader as well as other goodies (details below). Here is the chilling cover for STAINED:
Description from Goodreads: An intensely powerful account of a teen, bullied for her port-wine stain, who must summon her personal strength to survive abduction and horrific abuse at the hands of a deranged killer.
Sixteen-year-old Sarah Meadows longs for “normal.” Born with a port wine stain covering half her face, all her life she’s been plagued by stares, giggles, bullying, and disgust. But when she’s abducted on the way home from school, Sarah is forced to uncover the courage she never knew she had, become a hero rather than a victim, and learn to look beyond her face to find the beauty and strength she has inside. It’s that-or succumb to a killer.
Cheryl was kind enough to answer some questions of mine for her readers.
1) Where did you get the idea for STAINED?
From my own life. I drew on my trauma experience–and the healing–to write STAINED. Because I’m a ritual abuse survivor–my parents were part of cults–and I went through such extreme abuse and torture, I have so much that affected me, so much I need to talk about. I choose a few experiences for each book so that I don’t overwhelm readers.
For STAINED, I focused especially on being held captive, the effects of trauma and rape, and body image. Like Sarah in STAINED, I know what it’s like to be held captive, to be withheld food and water, to be repeatedly raped, and to have my life be threatened. Like Sarah, I was bullied, found it easier to protect others than myself, loved comics and writing, and struggled with body image and self esteem. And like Sarah, I had to save myself–over and over again–until I got safe.
I also put a lot of my emotional strength into Sarah–my dogged perseverance to survive, my ability to keep my soul intact even when my abusers tried to twist and destroy it, my fighting back psychologically, especially, and sometimes physically, and finding creative ways to cope and survive. It’s so important to me to write strong-girl characters–there’s so much sexism in our society–and it’s also important to me to write LGBT characters into each story, even if they’re not the main character. I also always try to show some healing in my characters. I think healing, and facing painful issues, helps make our world a kinder place.
2) I can’t even imagine what you’ve been through. You’re an incredibly strong person to endure such trauma and then use that experience to help others. What’s the most rewarding part for you about sharing your story with readers?
It’s incredibly rewarding and healing to receive letters from readers telling me that because of my books they felt less alone, got help, felt understood, or kept from killing themselves. I get reader letters every week, and even though I can’t always respond to them all I treasure them. I care so much about making a positive, healing difference in the world–especially with my experience and perspective from abuse and trauma–so it’s a huge, wonderful thing for me.
Another really rewarding thing is that by having my books published and having people respond so positively, having so many people read my books, I feel heard. I actually have a voice now! My abusers used to tell me that they would kill me if I talked–and I saw them murder and knew they could do it, so I used to be too afraid to even talk. I’d talk too fast or so quietly that people couldn’t hear me, and I wouldn’t say much. Writing (and art) was my safe way to speak–but that didn’t always mean being heard. I have a voice now through my books where I can help others, and it’s such a healing and wonderful thing.
3) You are so inspiring and it must be amazing to get letters from the many people you’ve helped. (NOTE: Check out Cheryl’s blog for links and resources about a variety of issues pertaining to young women.) To switch gears from readers to writers, what advice do you have for aspiring writers out there?
Write what you need to write. Write what you care about deeply; I think that makes a more powerful book. Study writing technique and editing through books, conferences, classes, articles, etc., and join a good critique group (online or in person). Your writing will get so much better, faster, if you do. You can see some of the books on writing technique that I recommend here:
http://astore.amazon.com/rainfield-writing-books-20 I’ve read hundreds of books on writing technique and it’s helped my writing a lot–and I always try to learn more. It helps to learn technique and read advice, but make sure you stick to what makes sense for you; not everything will be right for you. Read a LOT. That will also help you write better. Get feedback on your work and polish it before you send it out; try to make sure it’s the best you can make it. Make sure you research publishers and agents before you submit to them, so that you know they publish your kind of work before you send it out–you’ll get less rejections that way. And if you really want to be published, don’t give up. Keep sending your work out. It took me more than ten years and hundreds of rejections to get Scars published, but I finally did. You can’t get published if you don’t keep sending it out.
4) Great tips! I love the “read a lot” advice, and think that reading is just as important as writing. Speaking of writing, what are you working on next?
I’m working on two different realistic YA suspense novels (again drawing on my trauma experience), and I also have the sequel to Hunted sitting there for me to finish up, and another YA paranormal.
5) What’s something fun about you that most people don’t know (it doesn’t have to be book related)?
I love superhero stuff-I have a LOT of Wonder Woman and Superman stuff in my place; I even have a Wonder Woman outfit for my little dog Petal (grinning). That’s where the superhero thread came from in STAINED. And I (ahem) also love Super Grover from Sesame Street. I always loved Grover’s kindness and gentleness and his insecurity, and his desire to help others (even if he didn’t always get it right); I related to all of that. I also love fairies and dragons, unicorns and pegasuses. Fantastic creatures like that gave me hope and helped me dream as a kid.
Thanks so much for the interview, Cheryl! Don’t forget to enter HERE by Oct. 31st for a chance to win an eBook Reader as well as other goodies!!! Leave a comment below for a chance to win an eBook of SCARS!
Or you can buy here: Buy this book: Amazon | B&N
About the author:
I love to read. Books nurture me, helped me survive the abuse I endured as a child and teen. I also love to write. I write fantasy books and edgy, realistic fiction for teens.
My fantasy books often hold hope that I need, and feel others might need, too, while my realistic fiction is gritty, intense, and emotional. All of my books have fragments of the abuse I experienced. I write about some of the harsh things teens go through…things that I think shouldn’t be hidden. But I also write about healing, hope, and love, and finding courage and strength. [Source: Author's website]
Next up in the STAINED book tour:
Be sure to check out YA Bliss tomorrow, Oct. 15th, for a $15 gift card giveaway and review of STAINED.
Then, on Oct. 16th, Shooting Stars Magazine is giving away an eBook.
I’m excited to help YA BOUND reveal the cover for DAUGHTER OF ISIS by Kelsey Ketch! Check out the cover and book summary below, and then keep reading for an excerpt from the book. Also, you still have six days left to enter last week’s giveaway, so don’t miss your chance to win a Kindle copy of THE DEFIANCE by A.G. Henley. And now, I give you the cover for DAUGHTER OF ISIS:
Daughter of Isis (Descendants of Isis, #1)
by Kelsey Ketch
Release Date: 10/26/13
Cover Designed by: Steven Novak
Summary from Goodreads:
“Her mouth parted slightly, waiting for Seth to breathe life into her own body, just like in the story. She wanted him to awaken her senses.”
Their worlds collide in California’s high desert.
The last thing Natara “Natti” Stone wants to do is to start anew at Setemple High School. She wished she had never left London. Yet the brutal murder of her maternal grandmother has made her life very complicated. The only clue related to her murder is an ancient, encrypted necklace Natti discovered after her grandmother’s death. And if trying to adjust to American life is not enough, Natti is being stalked by a mysterious, charming high school senior, Seth O’Keefe, who is annoyingly persistent in his attempts at seduction.
Seth O’Keefe is secretly a member of the Sons of Set, an order that worships the Egyptian god of chaos. Seth’s blessing from Set, his “charm,” never failed, except with one person: Natti Stone. Her ability to elude him infatuates and infuriates him, and he becomes obsessed with the chase. But the closer he gets to her, the more his emotions take a dangerous turn, and he risks breaking one of the most valued covenants of his order. The punishment for which is a fate worse than death.
The adventure this unlikely couple becomes engulfed in could cost them their lives and their souls.
*Note: Content for Upper YA*
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17975812-daughter-of-isis
***Excerpt***
There was a crash and a loud gasping moan. She turned to the door next to her and stepped into the room. Her eyes widened as two entangled bodies jumped in the dark; the light shining from the hall streamed over the couple. She recognized the tall, copper haired upperclassman from the parking lot; the boy who had sent her the enchanting smile. Now he was completely shirtless, his fly clearly unzipped, and a brunette held tight in his arms. The girl glared at Natti. She struggled a little against the boy’s grasp, trying to cover herself with her bra.
Natti blinked in complete shock. “Okay.” She finally glanced at the empty room. “This is obviously not American Literature.”
“No duh!” the brunette snapped.
The young man smiled and turned to the girl in his arms. The brunette’s cold demeanor melted away once her eyes met his. He stroked her cheek, sending visible shivers through her body. Natti rolled her eyes, ready to gag.
“Now, now, Charlotte.” The honey-sweet voice made Natti freeze when she was just turning to leave. It gave her a dizzy feeling; a fog creeping at the back of her mind. “We shouldn’t be rude to our guest.” The boy’s eyes traveled Natti’s curves again. His grin widened. “Perhaps she’d like to join us. Maybe we can all get to know each other a little better.”
He motioned Natti to come inside. She unconsciously took a step forward; a strange force compelled her to join them. Her hands were reaching to pull her shirt off. It was as if she was no longer in control.
What the hell . . . ? Natti shook her head, finding the strength to resist through a familiar heavy sensation that rested against her chest. It was one she often got when someone lied to her. She was born with it. A gift, her grandmother called it, which could tell her when something wasn’t right. And as much as her body suddenly wanted to be next to the boy, feeling the skin of his lean, muscular chest, her gift was telling her something was off. His intentions were not pure.
She lowered her hands to her side, taking a step back into the hall. “Sorry.” She shook her head. “I don’t do threesomes.”
About the Author
During her high school years, Kelsey Ketch could always be found tucked away in a little corner of the hall or classroom, writing her fantasy worlds and creating illustrations and maps. Today is no different, except now she’s writing in the break room at her office building or at the tables of the Barnes and Noble Café in Cary, North Carolina. She is also an avid reader, a part-time book blogger at Ketch’s Book Nook, and lives with her two orange tabbies and awesome and humorous flat-mate. Daughter of Isis is her debut novel.
For more information, please visit her site at kelseyketch.com.
***Author Links***
http://kelseyketch.com/
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7104482.Kelsey_Ketch
https://twitter.com/kelseyketch
https://www.facebook.com/KelseyKetch#
Cover Reveal Organized by:
http://www.yaboundbooktours.blogspot.com/
